


Cursed

by startrekkingaroundasgard



Series: Bruce Banner Bingo [5]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M, First Dates, Fluff, Kissing in the Rain, Nervous Bruce, Picnics, Protective Bruce Banner, Romantic Fluff, Stargazing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-01
Updated: 2020-02-05
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:21:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22513909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/startrekkingaroundasgard/pseuds/startrekkingaroundasgard
Summary: A nervous Bruce asks the reader out on a date but when their first attempt is interrupted by an attack on the Compound. As future ‘first dates’ are derailed, they begin to wonder whether they are cursed to never be together at all.
Relationships: Bruce Banner/Reader
Series: Bruce Banner Bingo [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1776064
Kudos: 34





	1. Chapter 1

“Your equation is wrong. You’re dividing by the differential when you should be multiplying.”

You smiled as Bruce hovered behind you. He never stood close enough to touch but you could smell his aftershave, soft but powerful just like him. His warm breath on your neck sent your heart racing, every nerve in your body painfully aware of how close his was. It was the most wonderful kind of torture. 

“Did you come to chat or just criticise and pick apart my method?” you asked, swivelling around in your chair to face him. You nudged the spare seat from beneath your workbench, offering up to your colleague and friend and crush. 

Bruce tugged on the sleeves of his shirt, the easiest to spot of his anxious tells. He rarely came out of his private corner of the lab and found it uncomfortable making small talk with basically everyone else that worked on the floor. With you, though, he didn’t seem to mind so much. Sometimes, like today, he even sought you out specifically to chat - a fact that made your heart swell. 

Hoping to put his nerves at ease, you held out your hand and waited for him to sheepishly take it. You offered a smile, which seemed to do the trick. Bruce’s fingers twitched against yours, his internal battle raging. His gaze flickered between your face and the ground, confidence waning with every passing second. “I… Uh, do you want coffee?”

You tapped the rim of your mug with your heavily chewed pen end. “Still full, Bruce. If you weren’t so focused on correcting my work, maybe you’d have seen I’ve got my important brain juice.”

He rolled his eyes, although you couldn’t tell if it was over your attempt at humour or his own behaviour. “No, I meant with me. Go to a place that serves coffee and pastries and - you know what I mean.”

“Are you asking me out on a date?" 

"You know what,” he said, releasing your fingers from his and drawing back. Bruce rose from the stool, gently pushing it back into place. He shocked his hands in his pockets and mumbled, “Never mind. I shouldn’t have… I’ll leave you to your work.”

“Yes. I’d love to go out with you, Bruce.”

His smile grew, first incredulous, unable to believe his luck, then overwhelmingly joyous, and he hummed happily. You thought, if he were a bolder man, that he was about five seconds away from doing a little dance or punching the air. However, he was not that sort of man. Instead, he merely straightened his shirt and said, “You’re equation is still wrong.”

***

“You look beautiful,” Bruce said, jaw dropping as you stepped round the corner. You weren’t wearing anything too flashy, just something a little nicer than you would normally put in for work, but the way he looked at you… It was like you were an angel from heaven above. 

He was dressed impeccably, too. Unlike his usual suits, which were getting a little worn around the elbows and seams, this was beautifully styled and fitted. Still understated, nowhere near as flashy or expensive as Stark’s, but beautiful nonetheless.

It spoke volumes that he felt comfortable enough to risk wearing a better suit, that he felt safe around you and certain that Hulk wouldn’t show and destroy it. It warmed your heart, especially when his eyes sparkled green and confirmed your suspicions that the big guy was happily here for the night too. 

You stopped on the bottom step and ran your hands over the lapels of his suit. His held his breath, almost like he was scared that the mere act of taking a breath would shatter the moment and prove none of this was real. Quick to convince him otherwise, you smiled and said, “You’re not so bad yourself. What’s the plan for tonight then?”

“I got us a reservation at that Indian place you love. Is that okay?”

“Perfect. It’s a lovely evening out. You wanna walk there?”

Bruce nodded and held out his hand. You accepted it immediately and let him guide you towards the lift. The doors had barely shut when an alarm blared. Red lights flashed above you, signalling an incursion of some kind. Bruce stiffened beside you, veins starting to bulge in his forehead. 

Holding your nerve, in great faith that he had this under control and would never hurt you, you started to pry the doors apart. However, they were too strong for you to open alone. You glanced back over your shoulder, concern growing when you saw how far gone Bruce was. His neck had taken on a very distinct green tinge and his muscles were straining against the tightly cut fabric of the suit. 

“Hang in there, Bruce. I need you to help me open this door.”

His head twitched from side to side as he fought to maintain control. He usually had this sort of thing under control but Bruce had explained before that there were times that Hulk was too strong. Normally when he was so badly injured that it was the only way for him to get out alive or someone he cared about deeply was in trouble. In those moments of sincere panic for the safety of another, when he lost his head, the big guy made his appearance. 

“Come on, Bruce. Just another minute. We need to get this door open now,” you urged, feeling so desperate that you were two seconds away from knocking Bruce out to save yourself being squashed in the tight space. “Please, Bruce. Please help me.”

Your pleading finally got through to him. He straightened up and stumbled forward, his knuckles bright green as he clawed at the door. The metal buckled beneath his and Hulk’s combined strength, twisting and creaking as he forced it open. 

The pair of you stumbled through, narrowly avoiding Steve as he rushed around the corner past you. “Compound’s under attack,” he yelled, already halfway down the corridor. “Suit up, guys. West wing.”

With no time to change, you kicked off your heels and pressed your hand against a panel in the wall. It opened up to reveal a stash of weapons, everything from small knives to laser blasters. You grabbed the largest gun you had and sighed, “Guess the curry will have to wait.”

You crouched down to where Bruce was still fighting to hold back Hulk and gently touched his cheek, turning his face up towards you. Some of the tension, the pain that wracked his expression faded slightly. You pressed a kiss to his forehead and muttered, “Bring him back safe, big guy."


	2. Chapter 2

After the attack on the Compound, there was no time for you and Bruce to properly catch up. There was just too much to do. The lab was decimated, all your hard work destroyed. Multiple creations had either been pirated and stripped for parts or blown to pieces in the explosion meant to cover the invader’s tracks. Everything had to be tidied, catalogued and disposed of which took far longer than you’d initially expected. Added to that the categorisation and analysis of the high tech weapons that the intruders had used, there just wasn’t time for anything else. 

Everyone was exhausted. You’d been glued to this gun for thirty six hours, desperately trying to figure out how the energy source powered the weapon without overheating and imploding. The flashing blue gem flickered hypnotically and you felt your eyes and body growing heavy. 

Arms surrounded you before you hit the ground, sweeping you up and saving you from a cracked skull. You glanced up into a pair of beautiful brown eyes. “Oh, hey Bruce.”

The world righted itself and his fingers on your skin ignited a fire that drove the darkness away. You were aware of every detail of the man, from the wrinkles on his shirt to the slight curve of his lips. You traced the stubble on his jaw, laughing at how roguishly handsome he looked. The gentle smell of soap on his skin and gel in his hair proved that he was taking far better care of himself than you were. He’d even polished his shoes. 

“You’re all dressed up,” you pointed out. 

“I… I actually came to ask if you wanted a redo on our first date. But if you’re tired or busy, we can do it some other time.”

You glanced over at the clock: 5.30. A smile on your face, you said, “Give me half an hour to put on some clean clothes and I’ll meet you downstairs. I’m not quite up for going out but we could order pizza and watch a film?”

“Sounds perfect,” Bruce said. He leant forward, then back, rocking on his heels, before deciding to go for it and placed a kiss on your cheek. Suppressing a grin, cheeks burning red, Bruce all but ran to the kitchen, sneaking a glance back over his shoulder as he paused at the door. 

After the fastest shower and clothes change in history, you bounced down the stairs to the common room feeling reinvigorated. You paused at a window to check your reflection, to try and perfect the cool, calm expression and not come across as an excitable teenager finally scoring a date with the love of their life. 

Composed as you could be, you strode into the common room wearing a confidence you could only dream of truly having. It nearly shattered when you met Bruce’s gaze; once again, he regarded you like an angel, the most incredible creature he’d ever met, and your heart skipped a beat. 

Noticing the pizza on the countertop, you said, “Smells amazing,” grateful for the distraction. You could still feel his eyes on you, his admiration for you a heady drug indeed. 

“Pizza!" 

You spun around towards the voice and inwardly groaned. Clint came bounding in, skidding across the kitchen like Tom Cruise in Risky Business (thankfully in trousers) and crashed into the countertop. 

He lifted the lid of the pizza box and grinned. "I knew I smelt pizza. There’s more coming right? This won’t be enough for all of us. Tash! Pizza!”

Clint and the pizza were gone, the archer leaping over the back of the sofa before you could process the feat of daylight robbery that had just occurred. You opened your mouth to protest but by the time you’d reclaimed your wits the rest of the team were pouring in and it was too late.

Wanda pulled you into a cuddle pile with Natasha and Bruce ended up squeezed between Steve and Thor on the opposite sofa. So much for your quiet evening alone. Bruce mouthed an apology but you shrugged it off with a smile. Inside, though, you were beginning to wonder if you were cursed. First aliens, now oblivious teammates. What was next?

***

In the weeks that followed, you and Bruce set up multiple dates - all of which failed to go ahead for one reason or another. You got sick. Bruce got sick from looking after you. An alien invasion in Europe. Fire alarm. Utter exhaustion. It was as if the universe was actively trying to keep you apart. 

You weren’t going to let it stand in the way of your happiness, though. If the universe had a will of its own, it was no match for yours. And today, after over a month of failed dates, it finally seemed to be going right. 

Bruce had brought you to an observatory, far from the prying eyes of your nosy teammates (who were now well aware of your fledgling relationship; the constant rain checks were met with a varying degree of humour and sympathy). He had an old - trusting - friend here who’d lent him the keys to allow you full access. 

It was amazing. You wandered hand in hand around the building, mesmerised by Bruce’s enthusiasm about the elegant design of the telescope and excitement over space anomalies. He was usually so reserved but the way he spoke around you was utterly captivating. You couldn’t take your eyes off him. 

He led you upstairs out onto the roof, where a blanket and picnic basket were set out. The temperature and humidity had dropped so the air was no longer thick and cloying but was still warm enough that you wouldn’t feel the chill. There were clouds in the sky but they didn’t hide the view. As nice as it would have been to see the stars, they weren’t really why you were here. 

Bruce gestured towards the pile of pillows and you made yourself comfortable beside him. Snacking on sandwiches and crisps, you snuggled up together and stared up at the cloudy sky. 

"I never saw the stars much as a kid,” you said. “Big city, lots of light pollution and all. Plus it’s kinda scary, you know? Staring up into the cosmos and realising how tiny you are. Who knows what’s hiding out there in the dark." 

Bruce’s hand found yours, squeezing gently. The simple touch anchored you, stopped your mind from spinning out of control. You rest your head on his shoulder, eyes drifting shut. "We’re so insignificant.”

“No,” he said assuredly. “You aren’t. Not to me.”

“Oh, Bruce,” you sighed, touching his cheek. You were overwhelmed by him, his words. Judging by how his breathing increased, you had a similar effect on him too. Closing the gap that separated you, you brushed your lips against his and everything finally fell into place. 

All the confusion and doubt gave way to hope and joy. There was nothing questioning about the way he kissed you; only certainty that this was meant to be. You’d finally found your home. It didn’t matter where you were, what you faced. If you had Bruce by your side then you could take on anything. 

But you should have known by now that the universe wouldn’t let you go so easily. 

Without so much as a few drops of warning, the heavens opened and a deluge of rain fell from the sky. You leapt to your feet, racing to save the food, blanket and pillows but realised a few seconds later that it was no use. There was no saving them now. 

So, instead, you caught Bruce by the arm and pulled him to you. Already soaked through, you pressed your damp body against his and rocked together, the heat from his body keeping you warm as you swayed in the rain. 

Bruce pressed a kiss to the top of your head and brushed the rain from your eyes. Cupping your face in his soft hands, he sighed, “We’re doomed. Our first date finally happens without interruption and then it rains. I’m so sorry, Y/N.”

“I don’t care, Bruce,” you said. You pushed the dark damp strands of hair off his face and smiled, melting as he beautiful eyes lit up. “This is perfect. I’m with you and that is all that matters.”

“You’re sure?”

You kissed him again, wrapping your arms around his neck and pulling him in closer. “I’ve never been more certain in my life.”


End file.
